Shaw High School - Shuttle Yearbook (East Cleveland, OH)

Page 14 text:

THE SECOND SHANV ACADEMY. and the neighbors all ran out to see where the Ere was, and it is to be feared that the couple had more publicity than they desi1'ed. Wfhen Mr. Taylor returned to his desk, he looked angry, but he could say nothing, as the fault was really his own. lt was during Mr. lX'l'eriam's stay that the second Shaw Academy was erected, and this building was more pretentious than the former one. It was a two-story brick structure with a portico supported by massive stone pillars. Within it boasted of two large rooms devoted to the separate divisions and also of several recitation rooms. It was not, perhaps, the increase of pupils that demanded the new building' with its additional number of rooms, so much as the increase in the number of studies. Now, Algebra, Geometry, Philosophy, Latin, Greek were in- troduced in addition to the common branches, Yet, in spite of this imposing' list, Mr. Dibell, who was at one time a teacher there, declared that the school had so deteriorated that it would hardly rank with a district school. It was this same Mr. Dibell who felt compelled to leave the school at the time that the pro and anti- slavery question was raging fiercely in the village. The l'resbyterian Church, which had heretofore controlled the school, was now divided into two factions, each striving for mastery, and the school suffered greatly through this

Page 13 text:

in which he provided for the maintenance of his cherished scheme. Tn this document he bequeathed ninety acres of his farm, which should go to the support of any academy established in Euclid Township, with the proviso, how- ever, that any building erected should cost not less than two thousand dollars, and that it should bear the name of Shaw Academy. John Shaw probably never realized how many lives he would benefit by this will, nor how prosperous and famous that academy would become. Not until two years afterward did the citizens secure the necessary two thousand dollars, and then, as soon as possible, work was begun upon the new building. As the old citizens remember, neither inside nor out was it attractive. The exterior was plain!-indeed, it presented an almost barn-like appearance, while within, the bare undecorated rooms contained only the very necessities. But inconveniences mattered little to those people bent on obtaining an education in spite of all difficulties. Among these obstacles was one which pupils of modern times do not have to overcome. Teachers were scarce and their stay was usually short, for the ranks were gen- erally filled by young men who were using this means of gaining a livelihood while preparing for their life-work. Sometimes these young men were not successful, and one followed another in quick succession, until at length, in I848, school was discontinued for a few months. How- ever, late in the ,fall of the same year, it was again re- opened by Mr. J. B. Meriam, a persevering and ambitious young man, just graduated from Western Reserve. He had charge of the school for five years, and under his rule it grew and prospered greatly. Q Many romances were connected with that old build- ing. Among them was that of Mr. E. D. Taylor, one of the first instructors. l-le fell desperately in love with his assistant, Miss Mary A. Lewis, and some of the pupils have occasion to remember a certain return of hers, after a leave of absence. Mr. Taylor was conducting a class when he saw the old stage coach, by which Miss 'Lewis was returning, come into sight. Unable to repress his feelings, he rushed out to meet her without announcing a recess. One of the pupils present tells with a great deal of enjoyment what followed. The chance was too good to miss. Accordingly, they heralded the meeting of the lovers with as many bells as the building afforded,

Page 15 text:

division. The number of students decreased rapidly, and it was not until a couple of years later that it was again raised to its former condition by the efforts of Mr. Stanton. He was very successful, and the school Hour- ished under him as it had never done before. It is said of him that he loved a joke above all things, and it seemed as if the young people were infused with his spirit, for they had some jolly times together. During the next few years there was a frequent change of prin- cipals, yet everything moved smoothly until, in 1868, the Painesville Seminary drew largely from the attendance at Shaw. It was at this time, too, that the school grew so small that only the common branches were taught, and those who wished higher instruction attended the high school in Cleveland. Soon after, the dispute about high- er education arose. 1-liowever, this was not settled until tl1e spring election in 1875, when Mr. P. 0. Phillips was made superintendent, with the instructions to grade the schools and establish a high school. At last this was accomplished in 1878, and a high school was organized which continues to the present day. The last years of this second Shaw Academy were uneventful except in one instance--and that was the first graduating exercises, which were held in 1879. There were only four in the class, but they have the honor of being the pioneer alumni. Four years later the building, with many fond memories clinging around it, was torn down. The first half of the following school year, 1883, during the erection of the new building, school was held in the old Congregational Church. The conditions were such that they afforded both teachers and pupils much merriment. While one teacher would be conducting a recitation from the platform, another might be hearing a second class behind a green screen or else clown in the basement. There were large holes in the fioor for the purpose of letting the heat come up, and, often acci- dentally on purpose, things dropped suddenly on the heads of the people below. Under these circumstances it is a wonder that anyone learned anything, yet the pupils really did gain much both in knowledge and in pleasure, and' those five months passed only too quickly. On the evening of February first the Board of Edu- cation mct in the third Shaw Academy. With this event the building began its useful career. It is hardly neces-